Crassa said:
So what should I do? The fact is there was never any explosion on my PSU until I move into this city and plugged in my PC for the first time.
1) So what changed? Most drastic change was a physical move. A stray metal fragment finally shorted out and damaged something (one example). You (not city power) changed things. Why blame city power? That power has not damaged other computers for how many decades? Most likely culprit is something unique to the problem: yourself.
Many PSUs sold to computer assemblers are missing essential features required to avert damage. Did you select that PSU on dollars and watts (two useless numbers)? Or first confirm it meets a more than full page of required technical numbers and standards (what is required to properly build a computer)? No PSU manufacturer must meet ATX standards. That responsiblity falls completely on a computer assembler. And so we have another variable. Did the PSU meet standards necessary for it to work on many variations of standard AC power?
2) What does a UPS do? Provides temporary and 'dirty' power during a blackout. So that unsaved data can be saved. 'Dirty'? Of course. Because electronics are so robust that even this 120 volt UPS outputting up to 270 volts spikes does not damage hardware. But again the question. Did your system meet ATX standards that all computer PSUs must meet? So that even 'dirtiest' power from a UPS does not cause failure?
3) Destructive surges are maybe hundreds of thousands of joules. How many joules in that SP? 4000 means it provides 1333 joules and never more than 2667 joules during a surge. How do thousands of joules absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? Did they forget to mention those numbers?
Often a surge is too tiny to overwhelm protection inside appliances. But that same surge damages an undersized protector. Many use wild speculation to assume, "My SP sacrificed itself to save my computer." Total nonsense. Undersizing a SP gets a majority to recommend it.
Better protection is already inside appliances. How often are you replacing less robust appliances such as clocks, dimmer switches, and GFCIs? Never? Then where is this destructive surge that has so many concerned? Often invented by advertising and SP manufacturers to protect profits - not hardware. If your PSU meets ATX standards, then it already protects itself from a thousands joule surge. Of course, you have no reason to believe a surge or 'dirty' AC power caused that damage.
4) Completley different and potentially destructive surges are rare - maybe once every seven years. Another and completely different device, also called a SP, is part of a protection 'system' for that other and destructive transient. When they told you what to buy, did they forget to mention the 4000 joule SP is only for surges that typically do no damage? The other device, also called a protector, dissipates hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly outside the building. So that all appliances are protected. If your computer needs protection, then so do clocks, the furnace, dimmer switches, dishwasher, and something most important during a surge - smoke detectors. One properly earthed 'whole house' protector means everything (including your computer) has protection from destructive transients. So that protection already inside all appliances is not overwhelmed.
Protection means you know this answer. Where are hundreds of thousands of joules absorbed? Earth. Some protection systems do not even have protectors. But every effective system always has the component that absorbs the energy: earth ground. A system, that includes a completely different SP, is for surges that may actually damage electronics. This superior solution also costs tens or even 100 times less money. So that protection inside all appliances (even dimmer switches) is not overwhelmed. These superior devices come from other manufacturers known for integrity.
5) Numerous potential reasons can explain that failure. A problem must be defined BEFORE demanding a solution. In your case, a damaged component must be known before even speculating on a reason for failure. You moved the machine. Therefore you are the most likely reason for that failure. If blackouts or brownouts cause damage, then so does any other shutdown. Define a defect before curing it. Power off never damages a properly designed appliance.